The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1887-04-30
Fertilizers for Cotton.

and farm in the pine woods that
produces about 100 pounds Of lint
cotton to the acre in favorable
seasons. This year we wish to try
fertilizing on both places.
Please let us know through the
colums of your valued paper the
best fertilizer for the river land
and the best for the pine woods
land, the best time to apply the
fertilizers, the best modes ofapply
ing it and how much to apply TO
the acre on the river land and also
on the pine woods land.
Our papers and some of our
neighbors say that 1t will pay the
farmer better to fertilize his land
with his cotton seed than to sell
them at SO ton. Please let us
know if this is so, and how to pre-
pare the seed for q fetilizer, how
much to apply to the acre, and the
best modes of applying it to cot.
ton and corn. We are,
Very respectfully,
RAPIDEs FARMER.
If the alluvial land mentioned
by our correspondent has been IN
cultivation for any great length of
time it is probably deficient in
lime. One hundred and fifty
pounds per acre) of superphos.
phate composted with 100 pounds
of cotton seed applied in the drill
or bed, scattering the compost as
much as possible, would be sufii'
cient.
The pine woods land, like nearly
all soils of that character, will
show almost an entire absence of
lime and phosphoric acid. Being
of poorer quality, the amount of
fertilizer should be increased to
200 pounds ofsuperphosphate and
an equal amount of cotton seed
and barn yard manure. Cotton
seed is worth, as u fertilizer and
food for stock, twenty.eight cents
per bushel. 1t is generally sold
to the mills at one.third Of its
value. In relation to the cotton
seed question our advice is never
to sell a pound of seed off the
farm, but use it in feeding stock
and for fertilizer. Make all the
fertillzing material at home II ii be
possible. But If the purchase of
commercial fertilizers becomes
necessary, buy only the best and
learn to use them with discretion.
A good compost is 1000 pounds
high grade superphosphate, 1000
pounds cotton seed and 1000
pounds kainit, applied at the rate
of 200 pounds per acre. This for.
mula is much used in Georgia.
We commend the following arti.
Gle to our correspondent:
COTTON PLANTING.
Home and Farm.1
| have found IL true from season
to season that cotton planted late
often yields an abundant crop,
simply because the planter, put.
ting in his crop just at the right
time for some particular year
"hits the season." avoids having a
drouth to strike his plants when
full of fruit, and then wonders why
his late crop gives better yield
than his early crop. 1t is also true
that the earlier the planter gets
his crop in, provided he can re.
tard the growth of his plants till
the latter part of June, the heav.
ier will be his crop, because the
young plants being out early,
though remaining small, gradually
become vigorous and deep rooted,
and when encouraged by manure,
cultivation, heat and sufficient
moisture at the proper time, has.
tens to full development and salts.
factory maturaiion. 1t is also wise
ON cur lands which are porous and
on an average inclined to be light,
to cultivate with shallow plowiDg.
The deep plowing and complete
pulyerizing of the soil should be
done before the crop is planted.
Now, then, keeping the above
facts in mind, / desire to ask
"Gossipium" Il suppose he uses
non de plume to avoid the recep.
tion of letters of inquiry why he
did not refer to the best plan of
manuring! Does the cotton plant
attain its best development mainly
through the small rootlets that are
sent out in every direction near
the surface of the soil, or does it
acquire Its main support from the
roots that are sent deep down un.
der the plantl If the Affirmative
of the latter question be true, then
would suggest that the fertilizer
tor the plant should be deposited
in a deep furrow, since the plant
roots Will then reach the manure
about the time that the planter
wishes his crop TO be strongly en-